


One Word Against One Thousand Actions

by Delibirdette



Category: Bravely Default: Flying Fairy
Genre: Angst, Drunkenness, If you couldn't tell already it's rape, M/M, Non-Graphic Rape/Non-Con, Rape Aftermath, Rape Recovery, Rape/Non-con Elements
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2014-06-03
Updated: 2014-06-06
Packaged: 2018-02-03 08:00:22
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Rape/Non-Con
Chapters: 3
Words: 5,083
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1737242
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Delibirdette/pseuds/Delibirdette
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Sure, Ringabel had wanted Tiz to be his, but not like this.</p>
<p>Never, ever like this.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Prologue

**Author's Note:**

> “Would ‘sorry’ have made any difference? Does it ever? It’s just a word. One word against a thousand actions.” — Sarah Ockler, Bittersweet

There was a crashing sound that emitted from behind the closed bedroom door. Tiz gave a cry as he was pinned roughly to the bed, the mattress creaking on impact as the two bodies pounced upon it. Tiz could smell the stench of alcohol in the other boys’ breath as his flushed face got uncomfortably close to his own.  
  
There was a wild look in those cloudy blue eyes that made them almost unrecognizable to the shepherd. But even so, Tiz knew that the pair of eyes belonged to none other than Ringabel. The brunet’s heart, despite it’s rapid pounding, threatened to sink in his chest. This was Ringabel’s doing, he knew. Tiz hoped it was all a horrible dream. He couldn’t bear the thought that one of his closest friends was attempting to do this to him.

Tiz’s mind stopped working for a brief moment as Ringabel moved forward and stole his lips in a kiss. The shepherd’s shout was muffled, and he thrashed around in attempt to break free. Ringabel’s hands held the boy firmly in place at the hips, preventing escape. He was strong, ungodly so, and it only caused Tiz’s dread to intensify. The drunken blond parted the kiss a moment, his unfocused crystal eyes staring into the fear-stricken brown pinned beneath him. His grip on Tiz tightened, and he smiled dumbly as the other boy bit back a yelp.

“Tiz, I want you.” He murmured. It terrified the shepherd, how calm and casual that statement sounded, and yet it was eerie at the same time. Maybe it was the drunken slur of his name, or the heavy whine of lust in the back of his throat. Tiz was unable to tell.

“Ringabel!” Tiz screamed for not the first time that night, voice cracking, and he did all that he could to kick and squirm around, begging to be freed. “Please, Ringabel, snap out of it! You can’t... please don’t do this...”

All at once, the brunet boy gave up the fight. Nothing he was saying was getting through to the Casanova. The scratches on his face and the kicks to his legs were making no difference. A defeated sob rose to the back of his throat, and he whimpered as he started to cry. Resisting was futile. All that Tiz could do now was simply accept his fate.

Ringabel hastily unbuckled the shepherd’s belt, tugging down his pants and undergarments. Tiz watched through blurry eyes, blinded by tears, as the drunkard removed his own.

The physical pain hurt much, much less than the emotional injuries that were inflicted on Tiz that evening. After that night, Tiz could never bring himself to trust Ringabel again.


	2. I Don't Want To Remember, Else I'll Never Forget

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> “Would ‘sorry’ have made any difference? Does it ever? It’s just a word. One word against a thousand actions.” — Sarah Ockler, Bittersweet

Ringabel awoke that morning with a pounding headache. With an irritated grumble, the amnesiac rolled over, only to be greeted by the sight of an empty bed nearby him. That bunk primarily belonged to Tiz, and though it was normal for it to be unoccupied during the nighttime hours, it was uncommon to see it vacant at this time of day (as he was a late riser).

Now with a slightly-alarmed grunt, the blond boy sat up. As his palm pushed upon the mattress for stability, he detected damp splotches in the sheet material. The second pillow that lay alongside Ringabel’s was indented from recent use as well, and yet he couldn’t remember what had happened that previous evening. It didn’t help that he was an amnesiac as a drunk, too.

Just like that, the headache worsened, and the young man growled and placed a hand on his forehead, his brows furrowing in pain. This was going to be one hell of a hangover.

Putting on the boxers that had been mysteriously discarded on the floor, Ringabel walked out of the bedroom and into the dining area as he tried to gather his thoughts. They were in an inn, that much he could remember, and their booze had been incredibly cheap. He... may have drank a little too much, he concluded, holding his head with a grimace.

Tiz was standing in the dining area, talking cheerily to the two female adventurers. Edea was already downing her breakfast, her cheeks stuffed with all kinds of assorted sweets, while Agnes was calmly stirring her morning beverage. Their backs were turned away from the pompadour man as he entered, and he smiled, enjoying the sight of their seemingly average morning.

Only, this morning was to be _far_ from their ordinary routine.

“Good morning.” Said Ringabel as he found a seat on the nearest bar stool. He tried to act as pleasant as possible despite the ache in his head that had now moved to behind his eyes and temples. As he rubbed his forehead again, he realized he hadn’t even groomed his hair, and the white-blond pompadour was on display as a disheveled, frizzy mess. He groaned his dissatisfaction into his hands.

“Good morning!” Replied Agnes, and quickly afterward, “Mornin’.” from Edea.

Ringabel sat up again and gave a sleepy smile. No matter his current state, he always found acknowledgment from women to be one of the most efficient cures. He turned his attention toward Tiz, who still had his back to him. The Casanova tried to greet him again, “And good morning to you, Tiz.”

The brunet visibly stiffened, and a breath hitched in his throat. “U-uh... yeah! Good morning...!” He said, not turning around.

 _That’s odd._ Ringabel thought, eyebrows furrowing. _He’s never responded to me like that before._ “Is everything alright?”

At the inquiry, Tiz abruptly turned around, and he smiled. Only, the smile seemed forced and nervous. He put his hand at the back of his head and scratched at his hair. A sign of unease, Ringabel had noted before. “Yes, everything’s fine! No need to worry...” He laughed sheepishly.

But the older boy was not convinced. He opened his mouth to question Tiz further, then thought better of it. There was a lot eating all four of them right now, Ringabel knew, so maybe it was best not to ask too many questions.

And yet, Tiz seemed to always be able to conceal his worries from the outside world, only opening up to his emotions during the late hours of the night. The shepherd had seemed just fine until Ringabel had talked to him, too. What was—

Bile rose painfully in Ringabel’s throat, and he threatened to gag. As quickly as possible, the blond had stood up from the stool and ran to the nearest bathroom. He managed to open the bathroom stall and kneel before the toilet before splurging any fluid. The alcohol from the night before caused his stomach to turn sour and his throat to burn as he vomited it all up. It was during these slow, disgusting minutes that he spent puking in the stall that he tried to remember the events of last night.

The memories came to him slowly. As his stomach lurched for the second time, he recalled sitting down in one of the nearest pubs and ordering several consecutive glasses of wine. After he had finished sucking his wallet dry of pg, he had stumbled back to his room at the inn, where Tiz stood as he prepared himself for sleep. Then...

Ringabel nearly choked on his own vomit. As it spewed out again, the entire picture of last night came back all at once. He had advanced unwanted upon Tiz, to which the younger boy screamed out, kicking and clawing. Ringabel’s heart sunk painfully into his chest as he remembered the shepherd crying out his name, begging him to stop as he pinned him to his bed and tore every article of clothing from his body... and after his voice died out, Tiz had given up, his eyes puffy with tears as he cried out with every movement the older boy had made inside of him. Never in pleasure, but forever in pain.

As his stomach calmed itself down, Ringabel could feel hot tears streaming down his face, stinging his eyes and cheeks. His shattering heart hoped to any and all the heavenly bodies that these images were not real. Oh please, _please,_ let them all be dreams.

It was then that Ringabel felt the stinging sensation on his face, and he lowered a hand from the toilet seat to feel a sensitive bruise on his thigh, as if reminding him that no matter how hard he pleaded, the reality of the situation would never change.

He had always liked and admired Tiz. The boy was selfless and kind, reminding Ringabel of a motherly figure. The blond couldn’t help it when he realized that his feelings toward the brunet had become romantic. Sure, he had wanted Tiz to be his, but he hadn’t wanted it like this.

Never, _ever_ like this.

“TIZ!”

Wiping the last of the remaining puke off of his lips, Ringabel staggered to his feet and made his way hastily out of the bathroom and back in the dining room. He looked at the shepherd boy helplessly and approached him carefully, trying not to scare the kid away.

“I—I just remembered what happened. Tiz, I’m so sorry...!” He apologized, at a complete loss for words. It was after he blurted those words that he soon realized that a simple ‘sorry’ would not be enough. It would _never_ be enough.

The brunet turned to look back at Ringabel, his posture stiff. Ringabel couldn’t blame him for being on edge after what had happened between them. Tiz, too, did not know what to say, and he cast his gaze down onto the floor. At that angle, Ringabel could tell how he truly felt. Tiz looked completely broken, with hardly any spirit or will left in him. He looked sickly... and thoroughly frightened.

Ringabel raised a hand to touch the other’s shoulder, but the boy shied away, his entire frame tense with alarm. The blond withdrew his hand immediately, knowing that he had once again stepped over his boundaries. “Tiz, please, listen to me. I didn’t mean—”

“What’s going on here?” Edea asked loudly, interjecting between the two males. They both turned to her, seeing Agnes beside her as well. The two girls had been out shopping late that previous night, and had not been nearby to stop the scene.

Tiz’s voice was weak and wavering as he spoke to them. “Edea, Agnes, could you please... give us a moment?” He didn’t want them to know what had happened. At least not yet.

The two girls obeyed without any question. With suspicion in their nods, they briskly turned and walked away, giving the two boys alone time.

Tiz didn’t necessarily want this either, he decided. He took another step back from the blond. In his eyes, he was now deemed dangerous to be around. But he gave Ringabel the time he needed to speak. He could tell that the older boy was in pain, having realized what he had done. He deserved to at least be heard.

In the quiet of the empty room, Ringabel spoke. “Tiz, I... what happened last night... I completely regret.” He began to cry once again, and he couldn’t see past the watery tears. His voice, no matter how hard he tried, couldn’t remain level. “I j—just... want you to know that I’m really, really sorry... and I... If there’s anything that I can do to earn your forgiveness, _please,_ give me a chance.”

Tiz bit his lip. He could tell that Ringabel was being sincere, and pouring his heart out through his desperate pleas. The brunet wanted to forgive him, to trust him, and maybe even start it over and learn to love him. To fix everything and pretend it never happened. And yet...

_“Tiz, I want you...”_

Images of last night flashed through his mind, and his face twisted in fear. Panic surged through him as he remembered; the words spoken, the actions done. None of it could be forgotten or forgiven as easily as one would want it to. Tiz took another step back, bumping into one of the small wooden tables, and causing fear to flash through his body. He gripped the chair with unnerved strength, his knuckles white as he clung onto it as if for dear life.

“I’m sorry, Ringabel, but there isn’t anything you _can_ do...”

“Oh, Tiz...” Ringabel whispered, heartbroken. In attempt to comfort the other, and perhaps himself, he moved to wrap his arms around the shepherd in a hug.

“Don’t _touch_ me!”

Tiz fearfully slapped the older boy’s hands away, and the brunet pushed himself onto the table top, another step farther away. The shepherd was completely engulfed in his fright, hardly able to control his own actions. Still with terror clutching his voice and expression, he snapped again, as if crazed, “Please, don’t come near me! I... I don’t trust you anymore...!”

“Tiz, I was drunk.” Ringabel argued, “I won’t do anything to you now, I promise. In fact, I won’t ever drink again, if it helps.” He was completely desperate, willing to do whatever it took to smooth it over.

The younger boy was silent, and he reared up his leg as preparation for self-defense. His face was completely pale, and he stared at the dangerous male with eyes that seemed almost feral to the blond. Tears were threatening to fall from them as well, and he gritted his teeth as he swallowed around the clog in his throat. He was such a mess, emotional as well as physical, that he hardly seemed like himself at that moment.

Ringabel took another step towards the table, much to Tiz’s discomfort. He was oblivious to how his actions were beginning to worsen the situation. “Please, Tiz. I... I _love_ you. Don’t do this to me—”

“I said _don’t come near me_!” Tiz screamed uncontrollably, and his foot crashed into Ringabel’s rib cage as he gave a terrified kick. The wind was sucked out of the blond immediately, and he fell backwards, taken by surprise.

While the Casanova was down, the shepherd boy didn’t hesitate to leave. He hopped off of the table and darted past the blond, where Ringabel couldn’t see his terrified form anymore.

After the brunet boy had left, Ringabel simply lay there on the cold ground. That was where he deserved to stay, after all. As he lay there, he felt his broken heart sink even lower in his chest, and he knew it wasn’t the kick to the ribs that had caused it.


	3. You Cannot Hide From What's Behind Your Eyes

After that day, the bond between the four adventurers was not the same. The dreary rides through Luxendarc on the _Eschalot_ were silent, and to Ringabel, atmosphere was always clouded with pain and regret. There was no laughter or even small talk when the party traveled by foot from city to city, completing quests and battling monsters. The campfires were glum, and the caves and forests provided more warmth than them.

Tiz became an even quieter individual, and his usual cheery "aura" had vanished completely. Instead of the happy farm boy that the group had grown to love, he was void of energy. His smile, so eager and amiable at one time, was now never truly seen, and his grin was forced whenever he was asked if he was alright by one or both of the girls (to which he always replied, “I’ll be okay. Don’t worry about me”).

Edea and Agnes had come to learn about what had happened only through the gentle, solemn words of the shepherd boy. Naturally, they were furious at first, and Edea swore and threatened the “blacker than pitch” Ringabel more than once, but Tiz managed to calm her down before it snowballed further. Agnes, concerned for the brunet, tended to cling to him a little more after that, keeping a watchful eye on him whenever possible.

The three of them had forged quiet gratitude and a layer of protection for each other. Ringabel, on the other hand, was another matter. He hadn’t the nerve to speak a word to any of them, and often stood on the sidelines of any activity, not daring to approach. There were days that he often went without food, to prevent their hurting and judging eyes from casting their gaze upon him. He didn’t sleep, either, for he had kicked himself out of the room that he had once shared with Tiz. Depending on where their journey had ended for the day, he was either in a different room, or not in one altogether, and created his own bed outside with only the stars and the clouds to comfort him.

There were days that the utterly helpless blond attempted to speak to Tiz, but it always ended the same way: Ringabel becoming too desperate and pushing a little too hard, causing the sensitive younger boy to scream in triggered fear and push him away. Little by little, the gap between the both of them grew larger and larger, and no matter how hard he tried, Ringabel couldn’t patch the empty hole back up.

Ringabel’s only companion now was that mysterious journal. He often found himself hugging it tightly in his arms as if it were a person. He searched and searched for a passage in it that may predict how his relationship between Tiz turns out, but he flipped the pages two and three times over with no avail. Not even his only companion in the world would talk to him now.

To cope with the group’s rejection, Ringabel began writing entries in the back of the journal. He started out by sitting in one of the cabin beds in the airship and writing a few sentences a day, pretending that he was actually writing letters to people he knew. He didn’t know very many people, he soon realized, and it became mostly letters of apology— all of them directed towards Tiz.

_‘My dearest Tiz,_  
 _There aren’t enough words in the world that could describe how truly sorry I am. I will always live regretting that night and what I have done. I cannot forgive myself, and I cannot blame you if you cannot forgive me, either. I realize now how horrible a person I have become. Or, perhaps this is who I have always been. My memories are still hidden from me, but I cannot say I wish to remember them if they repeat the same cycle. I feel grateful for you ever blessing me with your presence... with your friendship. It pains me— truly— to think that I threw away such a wonderful companion such as you. If only I could bring that cheerful smile back on your face...’_

Ringabel had to close the journal to prevent his tears from smearing the ink.

* * *

 

_Tiz gave a relaxed sigh as he shed himself of the uncomfortable metal armor. He stretched out his tired muscles, now relieved of the Knight’s costume, and a content smile crossed his features. For the first time in a while, he realized, he was smiling sincerely, without a burden in the world to weigh him down. For a minute there, he felt like he could take on the world and awaken the crystals right then and there, even if he was just standing there in his boxer shorts._

_It was then that the powerful stench of alcohol nearly caused him to suffocate. Alarm buzzing through his entire body, Tiz turned around, only to be greeted by all-too-familiar crazed, ice-blue eyes. Ringabel grinned devilishly, and before the shepherd could scream there was a hand pressed against his mouth, muffling his cries. The white-blond boy pressed against him eagerly, forcing the other onto the wall, scratching his bare back in the process and causing him to yelp. As Tiz continued to yell, his voice did nothing to penetrate the sweaty flesh of Ringabel’s hand. When the brunet punched and kicked in protest, his attacks were proven ineffective. The older boy’s skin was cold and metallic; Tiz felt like he was attacking an armored foe, but Ringabel was not draped in metal. In fact, he was wearing nothing at all._

_Without warning, the intruding blond bit down on Tiz’s neck, causing the younger boy to grunt loudly in pain. The only thing he could hear was his own heartbeat pulsing, aching, nearly ripping itself out of his chest from the pounding force. The scent of wine and sweat was overwhelming, and the tears that stung his eyes blinded him. Not comprehending the other’s muffled screaming, Ringabel’s other hand slowly trailed down Tiz’s exposed torso, causing the horrible sense of dread to swell in Tiz’s chest. As his neck was bit into again, Tiz felt aggressively rough fingers slip into his boxers, causing acute sparks of pain as they began to mercilessly pull at his—_

Tiz awoke to the sound of a shrill scream. Fear clutching his rapidly-pounding heart, he immediately sat up, groping the blanket that enveloped him in both hands. He was drenched in sweat, a course of heat crashing through him, and he was breathing heavily. He frantically looked around the room. It was dark, with pale moonlight seeping through the window. All was calm. All was at peace here. There was no sign of any intruding persons anywhere in the room.

After several long seconds of silence (save for Tiz’s breathing), the brunet gave a sigh of relief. He fell backwards onto the mattress, feeling it move as he shifted his weight. It had all been a dream. Just another horrible dream. As he tried to calm himself down, the shepherd felt his entire body tingle with worked-up adrenaline. He began to shiver as the heat wave died down, leaving him in nothing but a cold sweat. _Deep breaths_ , he told himself, _Breathe in. Breathe out._

There was a quiet knock at his door, causing the skittish boy to practically jump in surprise. “C— come in!” He blurted, voice squeaking.

The door opened, and Tiz’s stomach turned. The monster plaguing Tiz’s nightmares stood there as he entered the room, the shadows hiding his features and encouraging the shepherd’s imagination to blossom. Tall and thin, he stood there in his signature blue coat, his pompadour messy and untamed. Although Tiz couldn’t see his face, nothing hid his view of the pearly white teeth as they grinned, sharp and evil.

Tiz grabbed the bed sheets in terror and pulled them over his body (which had remained clothed in his thief attire for reasons such as this) before letting out another horrified scream. He quickly curled up into a ball, hugging his knees tightly as he rolled over onto his side.

The shepherd heard footsteps approach him, echoing tauntingly in the air as the boots clunked upon the wooden floor. As the noise got progressively louder, the scent of booze hit Tiz hard, causing him to immediately lose it. In another cry of fright, the boy yelled, _“Go away! Please, just go away! Please...—”_

“Tiz, it’s okay.”

The brunet paused in his screaming fit as the voice hit his ears. That voice... wasn’t Ringabel’s. It was feminine, and instead of the flamboyant accent he dreaded, it sounded elegant and mature. Tiz quickly came to realize that the stench of alcohol had disappeared as well, and was replaced with the relaxing smell of the rain. No, this wasn’t Ringabel. It couldn’t be.

Tiz took the blankets off of his face and looked up, immediately put at ease when he saw Agnes standing there. She shushed him softly, her hand moving to cup his cheek. Again, she cooed, her voice soothing and hypnotic;

“Everything is alright, Tiz. Please calm down...”

“Agnes...” The boy quickly sat up and embraced the girl in a hug. Agnes was tense at first, not accustomed to physical contact, but quickly relaxed at his warm touch and wrapped her own arms around him in response.

It was then that, after a long minute of holding each other, the wind vestal could hear the sound of quiet sobbing.

“Agnes, I’m so sorry...” Tiz whimpered, his shoulders heaving as tears began to fall. He confessed to his nightmare, sounding like nothing more than a child scared out of his wits. “I— I thought I saw Ringabel. He was standing over there beside the door... a—and he grinned at me, just like he did when he...” His throat strained itself and he said no more. His grip on the vestal tightened in need.

“It was just another dream, Tiz.” Murmured the girl patiently, one hand smoothing over his hair, “You’re okay. I’m here for you; nobody is going to hurt you.”

“Th—thank you...” Said the boy gratefully, and as he was finally able to relax he let go of Agnes. There was a long pause, and both adventurers locked eyes. Agnes’ were gentle and calm, seeming to be full of patience. A pang of guilt swept over Tiz as he saw hideously dark circles under that glorious shade of brown, and he had a feeling that he was the one that put them there. When was the last time he slept all night through without any screaming episodes?

“...I’m sorry.” Tiz apologized again, suddenly shy. “I’m causing you and Edea all this sleepless grief...”

“We are all suffering,” Agnes replied, “But we are always here for each other, are we not? Do not worry yourself; you have more than enough reason to be having nightmares. And neither Edea nor I blame you—”

“TIZ!”

The door violently swung open, and Ringabel — the _true_ Ringabel — entered in a frenzied panic. He stood there for a moment, breathing heavily as if he had been running, and his wide blue eyes scanned the room, taking in the sight of the two adventurers comforting each other on the bed. For a moment, the blond relaxed, glad to see that someone was caring for the other boy. That he wasn’t alone and suffering.

Then a flash of fear coursed through him as he realized Agnes was glaring him down.

“I... I wanted to make sure Tiz was okay...” Stammered Ringabel, breathless, “I heard screaming, and—”

“Tiz is okay.” Agnes replied stiffly. Her eyes bore into Ringabel, sharp and full of hatred, but the rest of her face remained expressionless; a purely terrifying look. It made Ringabel instantly nervous, regretting ever walking into the room.

Agnes stood from where she was sitting beside Tiz, and began to walk over to the Casanova. “Tiz is okay, no thanks to you.” She added. She then came to stand in front of Ringabel, who was frozen with surprise, and she shook her head in distaste. “I can’t believe you.”

“...Huh?”

It was then that Agnes lashed out at the blond male before her. “Tiz _trusted you_!” She barked viciously, “You were his _friend_. Tiz would have gone to the ends of the earth and back for you. For _all of us_. He trusted you with his _life_. And _THIS_  is how you repay him for it?!”

Ringabel didn’t know how to respond. In just a few short sentences, Agnes had successfully ripped his heart to shreds. “A–Agnes, please, I—”

_“Tiz trusted you!!_ ” Agnes spat again, and just like that, a fuse seemed to catch fire inside of her. Her patient and gentle demeanor snapped immediately, and like a mother bear protecting her cub she went on the complete offensive. With a shrill cry of anger, the girl lunged at him. There was a loud thump as the two bodies fell to the floor, and neither one of them heard Tiz’s shout of alarm as Agnes began attacking the cowering boy on the ground. She clawed, kicked, and screamed her anger out on Ringabel, making him howl in pain.

“Why? Why, why, why?! Why would you do this, Ringabel?!” Angry tears clouded her vision as she scratched his face. Four red streaks instantly appeared on the boy’s cheek, accompanying the black eye on that same side. “Y— you’re an absolute _monster_!”

“Agnes, please...!” Said Tiz, but it was muffled by the girl’s rage. The shepherd had come to stand behind Agnes, but he was unable to stop her and could only watch in horror, listening to the older boy’s yelps of pain.

_“You monster!! Why did you do this?!”_ Agnes questioned again, louder this time, and her hand grabbed a fistful of his hair and pinned it down above his head, causing his chin to move and expose the pitiful blond’s neck. “Ringabel, ANSWER ME!”

A trickle of red ran down Ringabel’s battered nose, and as he opened his mouth to speak, he coughed out blood.

Infuriated, Agnes screamed again and grabbed something from her belt. As she raised it above her head, Tiz saw only the moonlight from the window behind them reflect it, causing the object to glimmer and shine white.

It was a knife, the boy realized in terror. She was going to kill him.

_“Agnes, stop!”_ Tiz yelled, grabbing the arm with the knife and pulling it back, being careful not to stab himself in the process. “Please don’t! H—He’s had enough!”

At the sound of Tiz’s voice and the feeling of his calloused hands on her own, Agnes returned to reality. Her eyes widened as she realized what she had done, and taking in the scene of it all, she gasped in shock and dropped the knife. The weapon hit the floor with a clang. She rose to her feet, taking several steps back from the boy on the floor.

Ringabel forced himself to sit up, and he hissed in pain as he did so. His face was what took the most damage (unfortunately), with a few bruises on his forehead and several scratches on his cheeks and chin. His nose was most definitely broken, and both of his eyes were already beginning to swell. He coughed up more blood, too weak to do anything about the fluid dribbling down his chin.

He stared in bewilderment at the brunette duo, at a complete loss of what to do or say. Uncertainly, he stood up, and silently began to leave. His whole figure was slumped over, wobbling as he moved, and he seemed to favor his right leg as he limped to the door.

“Wait, Ringabel...!” Tiz called, “Are you... okay?”

The blond forced a heartbroken smile. Either the shadows playing with Tiz’s eyes, or the Casanova was missing a tooth.

“I’m never okay, Tiz. And probably never will be.”

**Author's Note:**

> Hey, thanks for reading! If you liked it, there is more to come!
> 
> This was (kind of) a prompt from a good friend, so I hope you liked it! Feedback is appreciated.


End file.
